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Wow, the tagamet three times daily? Mind if I ask the dose and Spencer's size? (I know you told me the latter before, I just don't remember).

Frusemide works differently from tagamet so that might be a different option. Some find one works and the other doesn't. Many find frusemide is very effective.

Leo's level of scratching has gradually increased so I am looking at whether he needs increased gabapentin or at other options. He is on a fairly low dose -- 100mg twice a day.

PS I think often frusemide alone helps CM dogs that do not have SM... so maybe it is worth trying that rather than tagamet? I know I just read something on this in Clare Rusbridge's thesis so will see if I can find it.

Frusemide worked very well in Abbey's case (COSM), but then she started having accidents in her sleep so we took her off it. She's on Gabopentin now, and it seems to be working the same as Frusemide only without the accidents.

The severely affected dogs I was aware of from the support group were generally on 200mg of Gabapentin 3 times daily - every 8 hours.

We use 400mg daily (evenly spaced throughout 24hrs), 2mg steroid (2 x 1mg daily) and the tagamet in the above dose. This is just about keeping her at comfortable as a house/garden dog only.
Surgery was not my choice either.

Molly is currently taking 100mg 3X a day. They actually prescribed 75mg but liquid form is $65 a bottle here and the pills are only 11.40 for 90 days worth, so the Dr. didn't think it would be harmful to do 100mg.

Bev do you mean the liquid form of Gabapentin {Neurontin} or Tagamet {Cimetidine}?

It isn't possible to obtain liquid Gabapentin in the UK, the vets and neurologists don't recommend it, as it is extremely irritating to the gut lining...hence the powder is given in capsules which only dissolve in the stomach.

***note to everyone giving Gabapentin, please do not remove the powder from the capsules to give it to your dog***

Hmmm, I did remove it initially when Leo was on 50mg twice a day. I just mixed it in his food and Clare Rusbridge thought that was fine as did my dad (retired doctor). Obviously not ideal as the dosage is not as exact. I wouldn;t think it would matter if given in a regular meal as the capsules dissolve very fast anyway in the gut; a meal would also delay absorption. I can see not giving it in just a small amount of food. Anyway most people don't have the worry of handling small dose, I suppose, which is good -- most dogs start on the 100mg capsules; I've hardly heard of anyone giving smaller doses. Some get smaller amounts made up in capsules but that costs a lot more.

It's interesting to hear different views - I remember from the A-C group that quite a few people used to empty the capusle onto a small food item to give it to their dog, and we were telling them not to...

I tried to get the liquid for TedBear, as sometimes it's difficult to get him to take the capsules - but was strongly advised against it, even if we could get hold of it {thought it would also be useful for when we are out to save carrying something to wrap the capsule in - we used to use peanut butter, but he went off that. He finds it in anything like ham or cheese or even chicken, even if you give him several pieces first...the only thing that works at the moment is covering it in a small amount of butter, and giving it to him, then giving him some more butter on your finger to lick. He's so busy licking that he doesn't notice the capsule and just swallows it. Fortunately he's always been on the skinny side so the butter isn't doing him any harm!}

Yes I meant gabapentin. When Molly was originally diagnosed, the neurologist from Virginia prescribed 63mg. and the vet on duty from my local vet clinic said just to give her 50mg by opening up the capsule and doing my best to split it.

Spencer's been on Tagamet (well the generic kind from Walmart!) for three days and call me crazy but I really think he's scratching less. He still does it a couple of times in the morning and then again about an hour before his nightime does of gabapentin. But I haven't seen him do it during the day, which was a problem before. Please keep your fingers crossed that I'll continue to see improvements.

I bought generaic cimetidine in 200mg tablets over the counter at Walgreen's in the US on a visit, at $10 for 50. Bet you could get even cheaper generic cimetidine at someplace like Costco.

That's interesting though that the dose of tagamet/cimetidine is so high. I wonder if other neurologists are prescribing at that level. I'd be really interested in seeing some other recommended dosages as the liquid solution from dissolving a tablet is so much smaller a dose and does little for Leo. I'd like to increase the dose if there are other recommended doses of this. Must ask Clare what she thinks -- her treatment diagram for example offers the usual starting dose and how to increase, for a number of drugs. It would be helpful to have a similar diagram for tagamet.